Anemia in cats occurs when there aren't enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen to their body's tissues, making the cat tired and weak. There are two main causes of anemia in cats: Either they don't make enough red blood cells or something is destroying red blood cells faster than they can replace them.
Anemia can be a temporary, one-time problem, or it can be a long-term condition. Further, anemia can range from mild with no noticeable clinical signs to severe enough to be life-threatening. Because of this, cat anemia treatment varies depending on the severity and cause. Let's take a closer look as to what causes a cat to be anemic.
While red blood cells play a large role in diagnosing anemic cats, other causes may include the following:
Anemic cats may show some of the following clinical signs:
If a cat has a primary disease that is causing anemia, such as liver disease, kidney disease or cancer, then they may also show signs associated with those diseases.
Anemia in cats is diagnosed with a combination of physical examination findings and laboratory testing. Anemia is detected on a blood test called a complete blood count, which does just that: counts all the blood cells. Anemia can also be detected on a blood smear, and if there are any parasites or other red blood cell defects causing the destruction of red blood cells, those can be seen as well. Baby blood cells can also be seen on a blood smear, telling a veterinarian or a pathologist whether or not the cat is making new blood cells.
Because anemia in cats is a secondary problem, it's also necessary to run tests to determine what is causing the anemia. These tests can include any or all of the following: blood work, testing for infectious disease, urine tests, X-rays or other imaging studies, biopsy of abnormal organs or tumors, and more. Each case is unique, and your vet will be your best guide on what tests need to be run.
As noted above, cat anemia treatment depends on the severity and cause of the anemia. If the anemia is mild to moderate, and the cat shows signs of making new blood cells, it is likely that no treatment will be needed.
Treatment of anemia usually revolves around treating the root cause, which — when healed — allows the cat to heal the anemia (grow new blood cells) on its own. In some cases, such as certain autoimmune diseases or anemia due to chronic kidney problems, there is no cure to the root problem. Treatment in these cases is aimed at reducing the cat's body's autoimmune attack on their own blood cells with immunosuppressive drugs or minimizing the build-up of toxins in the blood in the case of chronic kidney problems.
If the anemia is severe enough to be life-threatening, then your cat may need to have a blood transfusion. Your vet will utilize the results from lab testing, in addition to how your cat is behaving, to determine whether a blood transfusion is necessary or not.
There are many ways you can protect your cat from things that cause anemia. Keeping your cat indoors or taking your cat outside only for supervised fun will help protect your cat from trauma and infectious disease. If your cat does spend time outside, staying up-to-date on external and internal parasite prevention like flea control and regular deworming will keep anemia-causing parasites away. Knowing what toxins cause anemia in cats and barring your cat access to those toxins is also important, as well as visiting your vet yearly to catch any anemia-causing disease processes early to ensure a better outcome.
While anemia may be life-threatening, there are many things you can do to minimize your cat's risk of anemia. All in all, cats are tough creatures, and with a little care from you and your veterinary team, they often recover and live full lives even after having a bout of anemia.
Dr. Sarah Wooten graduated from UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in 2002. A member of the American Society of Veterinary Journalists, Dr. Wooten divides her professional time between small animal practice in Greeley, Colorado, public speaking on associate issues, leadership, and client communication, and writing. She enjoys camping with her family, skiing, SCUBA, and participating in triathlons.
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